Hey guys, if any of you dudes are from Australia, how often do you gals hear the term "brother" to refer to a non-sibling? Is that a thing over there? If so, that's kind of weird and triggering. I'm already pretty triggered by the word "mates" because it implies that you're promiscuous and sexually active with a lot of your closest friends. I don't identify as someone who likes hearing that word. Stop using that word. Thanks.

One might choose the ever-lovely asexual term "tron" for these people. Waiter/waitress becomes "waitron", for example. Or, "peop", sounds like "peep". Interesting neologisms can arise (though I first heard these in Freshman composition as a freshman at the university, in 1977): peophole cover instead of manhole cover, etc.

Hey guys, if any of you dudes are from Australia, how often do you gals hear the term "brother" to refer to a non-sibling? Is that a thing over there? If so, that's kind of weird and triggering. I'm already pretty triggered by the word "mates" because it implies that you're promiscuous and sexually active with a lot of your closest friends. I don't identify as someone who likes hearing that word. Stop using that word. Thanks.

I like mate, it rolls off the tongue nicely, implies some sort of camaraderie without being overly familiar.
EDIT:
Oh I see it triggers you, cactus. I did not see that on the first pass. I call bullshit, as I see it as a shortened version of shipmate. We are all shipmates on this grand planet, Brother

Here's the body of the post, explaining their reasoning (emphasis mine).

Dear Wholefoodians,

It's really important that you know someone's pronouns before using them, and if you're unsure of their pronouns you can ask them politely, or use non-gendered language until you know.

Pronouns are what we refer to ourselves when we aren't using our names. Pronouns are often gendered like "she", or "his", if you are cis-gendered your sex and your gender are the same as what you've been assigned at birth, for instance "she/her/hers". As in "Where did she go?", "this belongs to her”.

Some people are non-gendered, gender fluid or non-binary and it's important that you use their requested pronouns. This is most commonly seen as "they/them/theirs", but there are other pronouns used like "Ze/Hir/Hirs".

Some people are transgender, and they may not identify with the gender that they were assigned at birth. Do not assume someone’s pronouns or gender until you know them.

The same goes for gendered language outside of pronouns. Please refrain from using phrases like "thanks brother" or "hey man", "hello ladies". This is really important that we fight trans-discrimination at Wholefoods, and that we all educate ourselves on fighting trans-erasure.

Opt for non-gendered language when you are unaware of someone's pronouns and gender. You can say "thanks friend", or even just "thank-you". Please be aware of this in hospitality environments, as this occurs often. It's really important that we make trans people feel welcome and safe in our lives.

Here's the body of the post, explaining their reasoning (emphasis mine).

Dear Wholefoodians,

It's really important that you know someone's pronouns before using them, and if you're unsure of their pronouns you can ask them politely, or use non-gendered language until you know.

Pronouns are what we refer to ourselves when we aren't using our names. Pronouns are often gendered like "she", or "his", if you are cis-gendered your sex and your gender are the same as what you've been assigned at birth, for instance "she/her/hers". As in "Where did she go?", "this belongs to her”.

Some people are non-gendered, gender fluid or non-binary and it's important that you use their requested pronouns. This is most commonly seen as "they/them/theirs", but there are other pronouns used like "Ze/Hir/Hirs".

Some people are transgender, and they may not identify with the gender that they were assigned at birth. Do not assume someone’s pronouns or gender until you know them.

The same goes for gendered language outside of pronouns. Please refrain from using phrases like "thanks brother" or "hey man", "hello ladies". This is really important that we fight trans-discrimination at Wholefoods, and that we all educate ourselves on fighting trans-erasure.

Opt for non-gendered language when you are unaware of someone's pronouns and gender. You can say "thanks friend", or even just "thank-you". Please be aware of this in hospitality environments, as this occurs often. It's really important that we make trans people feel welcome and safe in our lives.

"Opt for non-gendered language when you are unaware of someone's pronouns and gender. You can say "thanks friend", or even just "thank-you". Please be aware of this in hospitality environments, as this occurs often. It's really important that we make trans people feel welcome and safe in our lives.

Thanks Wholefoodians!"

You can get there entirely from cold and cynical economic calculus. If such people make up a sizable portion of their consumer base, or if they're trying to court more of them, then this is arguably a sound business move. No social justice needed if you're just looking to make more money by being more accommodating. Would you fault a restaurant putting up a sign post Civil Rights Act that went along the lines of 'hey, please don't forget, blacks are people too (and don't call them niggers)'?